This invention relates to control circuits for automatic cooking apparatus, and, in particular, to a control circuit for use in a cooking apparatus contained in a vending machine for dispensing foods contained in containers.
Processed and dried foodstuffs contained in containers such as cups have been produced and are being commercially sold which are readily cooked merely by pouring boiled water thereon, and if necessary, mixing the boiled water and the foodstuffs. For example, processed and dried noodles, soup, rice, stew and the like which are contained in cups have been commercially sold.
In selling cups containing such processed foodstuffs (referred to as "cup-foods" hereinafter), automatic vending machines are employed. But if the machine used provides only a vending function without any provision for feeding boiled water to the food, the purchaser of the cup-foods cannot eat the food instantly.
A vending machine has been provided for dispensing cup-foods, which is provided with a cooking apparatus so that a purchaser can instantly cook the obtained cup-food by the use of the cooking apparatus, and the food can then be eaten without further activity on the part of the purchaser.
The cooking apparatus in the conventional vending machine comprises a cooking chamber, a hot or boiled water feeding device, and other cooking devices arranged in the housing of the vending machine.
The purchaser puts an obtained cup-foods in the chamber, and then pushes a corresponding one of the cook selective button switches so that a single cup quantity of boiled water is fed and/or a corresponding cooking device or devices is operated.
In cooking various cup-foods in one cooking apparatus, it is sometimes required to discharge different quantities of boiled water or to operate other cooking device or devices besides the boiled water feeding device.